Why the Oilers are Sticking with Stuart Skinner for Game 4

Head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed that Stuart Skinner will start Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final for the Oilers, despite a difficult Game 3 where he allowed five goals on 23 shots. While Skinner has faced challenges in this series, the decision to stick with him here is the correct one.

Skinner was replaced with 16:33 left in the third period of the 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers after giving up the fifth goal. The goal, scored by Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad on the power play, resulted from a well-executed passing play.

While many goals in the onslaught weren`t directly his fault, Skinner`s performance over the last four games shows concerning statistics: an .860 save percentage and 2.86 goals allowed above average, according to Natural Stat Trick.

These recent numbers caused Knoblauch to hesitate when questioned about his Game 4 starter on Wednesday. However, he ultimately decided to stick with Skinner instead of backup Calvin Pickard. While switching goalies might have been tempting in a 2-1 series deficit scenario, Skinner has earned this continued opportunity.

For one, Skinner has generally performed better than Pickard throughout these playoffs, despite experiencing significant dips in form.

Neither goalie`s statistics are comparable to legends like Patrick Roy or Dominik Hasek, but Skinner holds a slight advantage. Given his rough start to the postseason, it`s notable that he`s managed to raise his performance closer to league average.

After Pickard`s injury forced Skinner back into the starting role, he capitalized on the chance. From Game 4 of the second-round series through the end of the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars – a span of seven games – Skinner was outstanding.

Over that crucial stretch, his save percentage was an impressive .944, and he saved 6.69 goals above average, posting a 6-1 record. Skinner was a significant factor in the Oilers` efficient handling of the Golden Knights and Stars, both strong Western Conference teams.

Furthermore, Pickard is not necessarily a guaranteed improvement in this high-pressure situation. There are reasons why the 33-year-old has moved between teams throughout his career, having played only 175 regular-season games and 8 playoff games. Consistency has been a challenge, and relying on him in a near must-win game could be even riskier than starting Skinner.

If Skinner struggles early in Game 4, Knoblauch has the option to substitute him with Pickard on a short leash. If the roles were reversed, would Knoblauch have the same flexibility? Skinner would already be aware of Knoblauch`s diminished confidence before even entering the game to relieve Pickard, placing him in a difficult position to backstop a comeback with no margin for error.

Sticking with Skinner for Game 4 was the best available choice for Knoblauch. The disastrous performance in Game 3 was a team-wide issue, and Pickard has not been flawless either. Skinner deserves the opportunity to redeem himself, as he has successfully done earlier in these playoffs.